The last major piece of the Green Lantern casting piece was unveiled yesterday, when Green Lantern comics writer Geoff Johns tweeted that Sherlock Holmes bad guy Mark Strong has been cast as the titular hero’s mentor-turned-nemesis Sinestro. Johns had been visiting the set as part of his new duties as DC Comics’ Chief Creative Officer, a position that in addition to overseeing the creative direction of DC’s comics line, also has him consulting with moviemakers about translating the company’s characters from the page to the big screen.
Johns had been on a quick trip down to New Orleans, where principal photography is set to start on Green Lantern in a couple of weeks. Apparently, he was pleased with what he has saw there, as he also tweeted “Kilowog, the Guardians, Oa…all breathtaking. The age of Green Lantern is upon us!!”
DC Entertainment’s announcement of Johns appointment to the newly created post of Chief Creative Officer last week was a great move on the part of new president Diane Nelson. Johns has been writing for the company’s various titles for over a decade now and has been praised by fans and critics for his strong sense of the histories of the characters he handles. Previously, Johns worked as an assistant to Superman: The Movie director Richard Donner. Additionally, Johns has contributed two scripts to recent seasons of the Clark Kent-before-he’s-Superman television series Smallville, which many have called the best that the series has done in recent years.
